Trail Design

Dafydd’s approach centres on the development of extremely detailed prescriptive trail construction plans related to definitive trail lines. Definitive trail lines are established within corridors that have been evaluated and agreed with landowners and managers during the planning and consultation phase. Establishing definitive lines involves careful surveying and detailed measuring on the ground at every stage, and this process is informed by both the frame of reference and the sustainability framework.

Once the definitive line is established, very detailed prescriptive construction plans can be developed and these can form the basis for programming or procurement of trail construction works and can also serve as an effective quality assurance system. In addition to this, trail construction prescriptions relate to robust trail construction standards which can then be applied consistently during the trail construction process.

The consequences of failing to adhere to any of these guidelines can result in the use of an inappropriate trail model, with the very real risk of spiralling costs, so that the project actually creates more problems than it hopes to solve. Adherence to the correct frames of reference will ensure that all aspects of the project are delivered under control, on target and on cost.